April 25-28, 2019 Tornado Outbreak
The April 25-28, 2019 Tornado Outbreak '''was a deadly severe weather outbreak that affected the Great Plains, Midwest, Great Lakes, and Mid-Atlantic. 124 tornadoes were confirmed in the outbreak. This outbreak produced the first EF4 in West Virginia since 1944, as well as the first EF5 in Michigan in nearly 70 years. Meteorological synopsis The National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center began watching a low developing on the west coast that was forecast to move eastward. The low unexpectedly deepened, and a moderate risk was issued on April 24th for the Texas Panhandle and areas of New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Kansas. The risk was later updated to a high risk. 23 tornadoes occurred over the states, 3 violent, including an EF4 that struck Happy, TX. The low progressed northeastward and moved in to eastern Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, and Missouri. The low continued to strengthen, and 37 tornadoes occurred, 13 violent, including 4 EF5's. The low then progressed further and strengthened more, tracking into the Great Lakes, producing 52 tornadoes, 24 violent, across Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. 411 deaths occurred in a single tornado that hit Flint, MI, which was rated EF5. It was the single most deadly tornado in Michigan history, leaving the 1953 Flint-Beecher tornado record behind. Notable tornadoes '''Happy, Texas Around 2:15 pm CDT on April 25th, a tornado touched down south of Dimmitt, producing EF1 damage, snapping trees and damaging roofing. The tornado then rapidly intensified as it got close to Highway 86, and began producing high-end EF4 damage. The tornado then hit Happy, destroying many of the buildings in town. A car was thrown 1/2 mile, suggesting EF5 status, but it has remained as an EF4 due to structure damage. 3 people died in the tornado. Wyaconda-Kahoka, Missouri On April 26th, a violent tornado tore through the towns of Wyaconda and Kahoka in northeastern Missouri. The tornado touched down at 5:11 pm CDT just east of South Gorin and moved northeast toward Wyaconda. The tornado demolished homes at EF4 intensity. Shingles and walls were found 4-5 miles away, presumably carried by the tornado. The tornado then hit Wyaconda, causing a 1 mile wide swath of EF4 damage. The tornado trekked northeast towards Kahoka, still causing EF4 damage. The tornado then hit Kahoka, causing EF3 damage. The tornado continued to weaken, and dissipated near the Des Moines River. Monmouth, Illinois Spawned from the same storm that produced the Wyaconda-Kahoka tornado, this tornado proved more violent. At 8:25 pm, a tornado touched down in Henderson County, south of Stronghurst. The tornado produced EF3 damage approximately 45 seconds after touchdown, striking a house. The house collapsed in on itself, killing one. The tornado then moved northeastward, entering Warren County, producing now EF5 damage. The tornado reached peak intensity near Highway 34, southwest of Monmouth. The tornado then moved through Monmouth, with winds estimated at 265 mph. The tornado killed 10 in total, 1 near Stronghurst, and 9 in Monmouth. 'Vincennes, Indiana' This violent EF4 tornado tore through Vincennes around 2:00 am on April 27th, the most active day of the outbreak. The tornado touched down at 1:52 am in extreme eastern Illinois, near St. Francisville. The tornado uprooted trees and damaged a few homes before it crossed the Wabash River into Indiana. The tornado seemed to have rapidly intensified about a mile from the river, along Big Four Road. The tornado began producing high-end EF4, borderline EF5 damage outside Vincennes. The tornado struck Vincennes directly, and caused extreme damage to the town. A tornado emergency was declared for Vincennes, the second of the outbreak, the first one being Monmouth, Illinois. 16 people were killed, and 77 were injured in total. All fatalities were in the town of Vincennes. Albion-Jackson, Michigan An extremely violent EF4 tornado tore through Albion and Jackson during the early afternoon on April 27th. A supercell developed near Kalamazoo at around 11:05 AM and began moving eastward. As it went through Calhoun County, it produced extremely large hail, including hail bigger than softball sized. It also produced wind gusts to 90 MPH. Thereafter, the storm began to become tornadic, and produced an EF2 that struck Marshall. However, this storm would go on to produce this violent tornado shortly after, and the tornado touched down east of Marshall at 12:23 PM as reported by storm spotters. Kalamazoo, Michigan Grand Rapids-Ionia, Michigan Category:Tornadoes